We’re right in the middle of garage sale season here in Western New York, where the icy winter weather makes the heat and humidity of summer more tolerable for such a venture.

That means between May and September, we can expect to find lots of signs for garage sales around our neighborhoods as well as ads and announcements for charity sales being held by churches and other organizations.

As collectors, we know that we can often find treasures, old and new, at such tag sales and often at excellent prices. We love the surprises and the deals we find among the castoffs and clutter.

The organizations holding these sales, however, sometimes forget what we shoppers want.

Oh, I know they’re committed volunteers putting in long hours, sorting through the donations, and organizing them into a coherent whole, and I thank them heartily for all they do.

Even so, I’d like to offer a list of things that might make their sales go a little easier, please more of their customers, and, ultimately move more merchandise and earn more money for their causes.

Some of my suggestions are quite simple, while others take a little more planning. All are intended to make everything easier and everyone happier.

(1) When you advertise your sale, include the details of when and where, and then stick to them–especially when it comes to start time and discounts. Nothing infuriates a shopper more than arriving on time to find that others have been let in before the announced start time.

(2) Try to design street signs so they, too, include the times as well as the days. Some sales have unusual start and end times, so announcing them avoids the frustration of showing up too early or too late.

(3) Plan to put up directional signs along the street that point out where to enter, park, and exit–as well as additional signs that show where the sale entrance is. No one likes wasting time circling the block, or even the building, especially when treasures await.

(4) Inside, post “department” signs that point out where specific kinds of items are displayed, such as antiques, books, clothing, household items, and tools. Many of us committed collectors know what we’re looking for and want to head there straightaway.

(5) If possible, provide reusable tote bags or even cardboard boxes when shoppers enter, so they can load up with lots of small items. In addition, have a holding area with numbered plastic totes or storage bins, so your customers can park the things they’ve already chosen and head back for more.

(6) Make an effort to keep pairs and sets together. In most cases, cups are displayed with their saucers, and salt and pepper shakers are taped or bagged together. They’re the easy matches.

However, I often see candlesticks separated from their matching console bowls, and once I saw a beautiful punch bowl with all its cups inside sitting several tables away from the liner plate that went with it. Since most punch bowls are sold on their own, that liner plate itself made that punch set quite unusual and a bit more valuable.

(7) In addition, make a real effort to identify items properly. For example, toy trains and model trains are quite different, and one can usually command more money, which is also true of actual Depression Glass over colorful glass, but maybe not over art glass.

If possible, do some research on the Internet or through the Monroe County Library System to learn more about truly old, unusual, or seemingly valuable pieces. No customer wants to buy a wrongly identified “treasure,” and no organization benefits from a reputation for passing off junk as junque.

(8) Keep in mind, too, that Internet sales have negatively affected the value of many antiques and other collectibles, so be prepared to get less than you’d expect for certain items, like some plentiful patterns of Depression Glass–unless it’s a rare piece that you’ve discovered in your research. Remember: Being able to buy items makes shoppers happy, and selling items makes organizers successful.

(9) Price all items–one way or another–since no one likes to ask “How much is this?” If possible, put price tags on the tops or fronts of all items. However, you can also post signs–all around the place–that list prices for broad categories, like hardback and paperback books, dishes and glassware, and clothes.

You can use this method for typical items, and add a phrase that says something like “unless individually priced” on the sign. That way, things like typical costume jewelry can be priced en masse through your signage, while that string of genuine pearls can be marked individually.

(10) Take the time to test all electronics and other gadgets and mark that they “work” if they do, indeed, work. Also, if you see any damage, like a crack or a chip or a stain, note that as well. “As is” is the phrase that lets us buyers know that something’s wrong with the item we’re considering.

(11) Regardless of all your efforts to price things, stickers will come off or shoppers will question prices. Accordingly, all volunteers should be given the authority to price items. Even if you use individual price tags, lists should be available to all volunteers, so they can say, “Oh, a coffee table book? That’s $3.00.”

Likewise, if one of your customers points out that a figurine has a hairline crack or a denim jacket is missing a button, whoever they talk to should be empowered to mark the item down a reasonable amount. It wastes everyone’s time to track down that one person, like the chairperson or department head, who has the power to make deals.

When you’re selling donated items as a fundraiser, the thing to remember is that the only way to raise funds is to move merchandise.

Of course, you might have a truly valuable item that you want to get a certain amount for; however, you need to consider the logistics of storing it for another year, the goodwill with the current customer, and the likelihood of actually selling it for top dollar next year. In many cases, selling the item for a bit less than hoped still brings in bucks and pleases the shopper.

(12) Try to have enough space at the checkout, so shoppers can set their purchases down before you begin adding up the costs.

(13) When it comes to totaling costs, don’t add in your head. That’s unfair to your customers and difficult for your volunteers. Either enter each item into a cash register or jot down the prices on a scratch pad.

(14) I also suggest adding up based first on the kind of item and then by price. This method makes both adding and bagging easier since many things can be presented in order: clothes, dishes, records, and even cast iron pots and pans.

For example, all large hardbacks, which are presumably the same price, get presented and added in, then all hardback novels, then all paperback novels. By presenting similarly shaped items together, they can be bagged or boxed easily. By presenting all items that cost the same together, the math is much easier, too.

(15) Here’s another suggestion: Run off some sheets, or even have some pads printed, that have columns for each typical price, with a blank column for unusual prices. It’s easier to add up seven $1, then four $2, and one $5 than if these 12 prices were read off in no particular order.

(16) I’ll point out that you’ll need lots of coins and smalls bills for making change, even though every sale I’ve ever been to has had no trouble making change. No one wants to lose a sale, or a purchase, because you can’t break a twenty.

(17) If you take credit cards, debit cards, or checks, why not post signs saying so all over the sale? Let us shoppers know early on that we can buy more than we intended.

(18) Most sales are really good about having newspaper to wrap fragile items. Some, however, underestimate just how much paper they’ll need, so round up more than you think, and then round up even more. Any leftover paper can easily be recycled.

(19) In addition, try to have white tissue paper for items that will be stained by the ink in newsprint and some bubble wrap for items that need its extra cushioning.

(20) Be wary, though, of wrapping multiple items together. I’d hate to unwrap a teapot and have the lid crash on the floor.

(21) Bags and boxes at the checkout are essential, too, but be careful filling them. In fact, don’t fill them. The bigger, the heavier, the more fragile the items are, the fewer should go in the bag or the box.

(22) And double bagging is important when items are heavy or angled and could tear the bag. Help your customers get their new treasurers home safely, but be a reason why something breaks, and they’ll remember that forever.

(23) Volunteers with dollies are also a great help to customers, so try to have people on hand to help take things to cars and even load them up. Knowing we can get help with heavy or bulky items makes buying them even easier.

(24) If you’ve got volunteers with trucks, you can even offer delivery for furniture and appliances, and you could probably ask the same rate that local thrift stores charge. Just call a few beforehand, and then price accordingly. Shoppers often want big pieces, but need affordable ways to get them home, and your organization might be able to provide that service and make even more money toward your cause.

(25) Finally, be sure to announce how much money was raised. You can do that through social media, in your organizational newsletter, and on your website and even by announcing it to the local news media. And post how much was raised last year at this year’s event.

Most collectors are aware that when they shop charity sales, they’re not only saving money and adding to their collections. We also hope we’re helping a good cause, so we’d like to know how much is brought in and how it’s being used.

Good luck organizing your sales!

Patti
The Committed Collector

So what do you think of my observations–either as an organizer of charity sales or as a collector who shops them? I’d love to hear what you have to say about these summer mainstays, so please leave a comment and share your experiences and observations.

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